camifree

Ok... I have medical reasons (my own), and I have evidence to prove it. I just don't know if the fact of not having kept assets, investments, properties or family ties in the US will prevent me from returning as a lawful resident. That's basically what I would like to know: what are my chances before investing lots of time and energy in that new process.

Thank you very much! Well, I'd just like to hear about experiences... If anyone has managed to obtain it, timeframes, receptivity, possibilities, you know? I think that even though I don't hold any ties with the US anymore other than the fact that I lived, worked and paid my taxes for 5 years as a lawful resident, I did have valid reasons for not having returned since 2010.

Hi,

I haven't logged in here for years, literally. Many, many things have happened. But well, I'd like to know whether there's any forum related to the SB-1 visa (returning resident). I'll appreciate any info.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Well, a little update....

I might not be going back to Venezuela, but instead moving to another state here where I have more friends and some family. I know the situation is bad everywhere, but at least it wouldn't be so drastic. I have thought about it thoroughly, and I have read your posts and opinions. My friends insist on receiving me in their house while I find a steady job and a place for myself, and they need a hand with their little baby. I think I can help them

I found an organization that receive furniture as a donation for their rehab patients... I'll be glad to help others, because honestly, I don't think I can make too much money out of it. And they come and pick it up and everything. Let's see what happens....

Can you afford a month's visit to go "home" and see whether you've become so Americanised that you couldn't really live there again? Living the life shows you how much you've changed. I speak from experience when I say that you change a lot more than you realise and it can be a disappointment to be home again, even with the benefits of a loving family and great friends.

Hope you can find a way that works for you!

That's my first step, actually. I'm going there to spend the holidays and a few more weeks to see what the panorama is like. I have got some job offers there anyway that I must explore. Depending on how I see the situation, I would plan the big move. I'm praying that it isn't so bad (although I know it's bad already with that dictator) because I really REALLY don't want to be here anymore.

Life is a journey, and it takes us to the strangest places. I visited 32 countries and lived in 7 of them. I believe one should live where she feels at home. Home is where the heart is. You answered that yourself:

I miss my family, my friends, my country (in spite of all the problems there). What the heck am I doing here?

And indeed, Venezuela is an absolute beautiful country. Forget the dark past, keep your head up and look to the future. May it be a wonderful one!

I wish you, and your dog, the very best.

Danke schön!

There are thousands of people that want to leave the country where you want to go back to. That was the most beautiful country ever. La sucursal del cielo, con la sultana del avila bella, con los llanos, con las playas, con la gente, y con su comida, las hallacas, pan de hamon, cachitos, malta, susy y cocosette. Bueno amiga, eso ya no existe.

It is difficult to get used to another country, another life, but once you leave a life behind, that life keeps changing. Once you leave that life behind for so long, that life becomes a different life, that is not yours anymore.

Gloria al bravo Pueblo.

I understand what you're saying, and I appreciate your input. However, my reasons to go back there go beyod the malta and cocossette. I need my family with me.

edit -

if you don't want to move them - you can sell them or give them away on craigslist - see www.craigslist,org - choose your city, and start posting. Be wary of sexual predators, though. Good Luck with the move !

Sexual predators??????

cami,

sorry to hear that things are not working out well for you. sometimes family is more importnat than anything else. it seems that now is one of those times.

the warning about sexual predators is in reference to the fact that you are a single woman and should be careful for your personal safety when considering selling items from your home. trying to sell personal posessions involves listing the contents of your home and providing contact information to anyone who happens to see your advertisement on the internet. making the actual sale would involve letting strangers into your home.

there have been a few incidents in which rapists answered sale advertisements, spoke to sellers on the phone, and after determining that they are single women, arranged to visit them. during the visits they sexually assaulted the women, robbed them, and escaped. some of these criminals have been caught.

if you want to sell your posessions i suggest that you look for an auction house in your area that sells household goods. they usually charge comission of 20-30%, and will pick the items up at your apartment. this would be a good arrangement as there are no "strangers" involved, and you can complete the entire transaction in accordance with your moving schedule.

you can time the pick-up to occur a few days before you leave for home, and arrange to have the auction house deposit the proceeds of sale directly into your American bank account. you can get a debit card for this account that you can use in your home country to withdraw the cash. auction houses usually make sale of items and provide proceeds to the seller in 3-4 weeks.

Thank you very much.... I'll look for an auction house, it's a very good idea

edit -

if you don't want to move them - you can sell them or give them away on craigslist - see www.craigslist,org - choose your city, and start posting. Be wary of sexual predators, though. Good Luck with the move !

Sexual predators??????

You can try to sell some things if you want, and just say F it for the rest of the things. Leave them in your apartment, what are they going to do, make you come back to move them? Not possible. Good luck!

I thought about that... just packing my stuff and leaving the rest here.... but my common sense doesn't let me do it, lol

Hi all,

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been through this, but I need some advice and that's why I post today. I moved to the USA very in love, with so many good expectations and illusions, thinking it would be time for me to build my family with the man I loved.

We're good friends now, but we got divorced this year. After a lot of pain and a long process, we are divorced. We were married for less than 3 years.

I have tried a lot of things in order to continue my life here. College (couldn't afford it), jobs (couldn't keep them for different reasons)... I also had another relationship, a short one, it didn't work. So I feel like I've been pushing and pushing a situation that is definitely not working for me. I don't belong here. I miss my family, my friends, my country (in spite of all the problems there). What the heck am I doing here?

I live alone, in a small studio with my doggy Frida. I told my father today that I want to go back, I cannot deal with this anymore. I know life is tough for everybody, but I cannot let it go to the point that I prefer I was dead. I'm depressed, I don't feel like getting up, I don't know a lot of people, I've gained weight... I could complain all day. However, I have health (thank God), I'm young and I really want to save my life and stablish myself somewhere. But not here.

I don't know what to do with my things (bed, sofa, dressers, dining set, pots & pans, china, silverware, books) in order to move. I'm scared of having to do all this by myself. Anyone has any idea of what would work to get rid of all the things that cannot come with me?

I'm sorry about the venting. I know there are people with much worse problems, but this is what I'm living right now. I cannot take it anymore. Loneliness is killing me.

Thank you for letting me share my feelings.

Cami.

Officer: BLICISO BAL (God knows what that is)

The surname of the officer who stamped your passport and BAL for Baltimore, I'd imagine?

Yeah, the BAL is obviously for Baltimore, but the surname is almost like Basiliscus if you say it fast, lol!!

I know.. silly joke...

PS - I have used mine to travel outside of the country and return - had absolutely no problems. You won't either. The passport stamp is as good as the green card.

THANKS! I arrived yesterday, and I had absolutely no problems. Well, the only thing the airline and customs complained about was how cheap the ASC was on ink, hehe, because it's almost impossible to read, but they never implied it was my fault. Everyone was really nice

OK... So I came to Venezuela for the holidays (hehe, I stayed around 3 months), but before coming, I was scared because I hadn't received the provisional letter that would extend my residence for another year. I got an InfoPass, they told me that was very common; they took my expired greencard and stamped my passport.

The stamp (a kind of form, what's not in cursive was handwritten by the officer; some parts are to light-inked to be read) says the following:

Upon endorsement, (impossible to read)

temporary I-551 evidencing (impossible to read)

permanent residence for one year.

Issue Date: Oct. 7, 2008

Officer: BLICISO BAL (God knows what that is)

EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED

Valid Until: Oct. 6, 2009

Axxxxxxxxxx (my alien registration number) I751 pending

EACxxxxx

xxxxx

I557 lifted

Now, she wrote my ARN, an EAC code (like it was a new application number) that is not the number of my initial case, the one that appears at the USCIS site where we can check our status online. I entered that EAC thing, and it says that such case does not exist. And what the heck is the "I557 lifted" thing?

I asked her, in VERY GOOD ENGLISH, whether I'd have trouble traveling and entering the country. She told me that with that stamp on my passport I could travel, work and do whatever I was able to do when I had the card.

I guess I'm just a bit freaked out by that new "non-existent" EAC.

If anyone has some explanation, it'll be highly appreciated, as usual.

Cheers and Happy New Year for everyone!

Hi Camifree, I heard that the stamp on your passport is like having the letter that extends the 2 yr GC for one year, so you should be ok when you come back to the USA. Since you are in your country during the removing process, & I'll be doing the same in about 3 months for about 7 weeks I'll be gone in my country what you suggest me to do before leaving USA? For exemple did you ask to some of your friends to check the mail while you are away in order to know what's going on with the Immigration?

Have a nice vacation in your country

Hi Daphne,

Well, I signed up for the Online Status Notification at www.uscis.gov. You get a username and a password, and you can enter the case numbers you have pending. Then you activate e-mail notifications, so whenever there is a change or a "touch" on your case, you'll know immediately. I got separated almost a year ago, but all my mail is getting to the house I used to share with my husband, who still lives there. All my bills and other things are sent to me by e-mail (I'm a paperless freak), but he usually keeps me up to date with everything I get. I hope he doesn't hide anything, LOL!!! Separations can get so nasty... But anyway, I'd end up knowing whatever happens on the USCIS website.

Don't worry about anything, enjoy your trip and good luck!

CORRECTIONS, CORRECTIONS!!!

The last thing she wrote was I-551 (it looked like 557) and I forgot to say that I have not received any welcome letter yet, only the appointment for my biometrics, which I already attended before getting my passport stamped.

OK... So I came to Venezuela for the holidays (hehe, I stayed around 3 months), but before coming, I was scared because I hadn't received the provisional letter that would extend my residence for another year. I got an InfoPass, they told me that was very common; they took my expired greencard and stamped my passport.

The stamp (a kind of form, what's not in cursive was handwritten by the officer; some parts are to light-inked to be read) says the following:

Upon endorsement, (impossible to read)

temporary I-551 evidencing (impossible to read)

permanent residence for one year.

Issue Date: Oct. 7, 2008

Officer: BLICISO BAL (God knows what that is)

EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED

Valid Until: Oct. 6, 2009

Axxxxxxxxxx (my alien registration number) I751 pending

EACxxxxx

xxxxx

I557 lifted

Now, she wrote my ARN, an EAC code (like it was a new application number) that is not the number of my initial case, the one that appears at the USCIS site where we can check our status online. I entered that EAC thing, and it says that such case does not exist. And what the heck is the "I557 lifted" thing?

I asked her, in VERY GOOD ENGLISH, whether I'd have trouble traveling and entering the country. She told me that with that stamp on my passport I could travel, work and do whatever I was able to do when I had the card.

I guess I'm just a bit freaked out by that new "non-existent" EAC.

If anyone has some explanation, it'll be highly appreciated, as usual.

Cheers and Happy New Year for everyone!

Sorry I forgot to update this: TOTAL SUCCESS!!! The clerk didn't even look at the letter... I think she was very sleepy because I was the first in the queue

Thank you guys!

My GC is valid. I was approved for the removal of conditions months ago, and my passport was stamped until I get the new card... The stamp is valid for one year. I only left the country to spend the holidays with my family.

I'll try to find out those agencies for Legal Aid that Old Dominion mentioned (thanks!). I have to go anyway because my things are in a storage unit... they're not too many, but they are very important for me (books, documents, etc). Plus, I have a couple of debts (telephone and credit card) I have to take care of.

I've been talking to my dad, and he tells me that the best thing to do is to confront that situation as soon as possible, and once the divorce is finalized, that I'll be able to do whatever I want. But, he says, if I go and I see that everything is a mess (before the divorce), that he will buy my ticket to come back to Venezuela. Isn't he sweet?

Thank you for answering my questions, guys

So sorry for your situation... I'm going through a very similar thing... I already returned to my country, actually. What I'm thinking is going back to the US before being banned (I think it's 8 months) and once I'm there, to file for a re-entry permission, which allows to stay out of the country for longer.

Otherwise, and I'm seriously considering it, I would just redeem my GC. I just would like to be able to get a tourist visa instead so I can go to visit my friends and stuff... but I'm not interested in living there anymore.

Good luck!

I left my husband almost a year ago; I did not feel safe and he was not willing to help to improve our condiitons. Long story.

The point is that I was the one who had to leave because he would not, and for my mental sake, I packed my stuff and left. I am now in my country, but I have to go back to the US to see what I will do with my things (I left almost everything there) and to do all the divorce process.

Now, because I have NOTHING (even if I started a job, I have nowhere to stay) I thought about filing for welfare or some government temporary financial help. Someone told me that it would be a mess because of the affidavit of support my USC husband signed when we got my K1 visa. I do not love him anymore, but I do not want to get him in trouble either... do you think that is true?

Honestly, I am very scared and I do not want to go back. Here I am with my family, my friends and it is my country after all. I feel safe here, in spite of Chávez. I only went to the US for him; otherwise, I am not interested in living there whatsoever I have a return ticket for Tuesday, but I get sick every time I think about that trip. Something inside tells me (screams, actually) not to go. Today is one of those days when I wish I did not exist at all.

Hello,

I guess many of you have read my story already. I had to leave my American husband in May 2008, and since we got married in Maryland, we cannot file for divorce but after 12 months of separation. I had a bunch of accumulated (sp?) miles, so I was able to get a round-trip ticket in order to spend the holidays with my family in Venezuela. I know the situation is very hard here (Chávez, insecurity, inflation, etc.), but all in all, it is my country. I only went to the USA to be with the person I loved the most, and it did not work. I had no further interest.

I am very close to deciding to stay permanently in my country, but I do not know if I can get divorced from here. I will have to talk to a lawyer, I know. I was just wondering if anyone has gone through something similar. Plus, if I end up being able to do it, what happens with my things? What happens with everything that I have invested there? Because in three years I have worked my butt off to pay mortgage, his grad school tuition, and things with which spouses usually help each other. I know I am legally entitled to the product of my work; I sacrificed a lot of things to be with him, I compromised everything. On one hand, I just want my life back and to move on, but on the other hand, I also think it would not be fair to let him walk with all my effort, work and emotional compromise.

Am I totally out of my mind for having such questions? What would you do?

Thanks for any input.

Only if the divorce is finalised BEFORE the joint I-751 is adjudicated.

In my case, I filed for the removal before the divorce takes place (in MD divorces can only be filed 12 months after separation, and I filed for removal 5 months after I left my husband). Now, I got my biometrics done and my passport was stamped with a 1 year provisional "GC" since I received no letter.

We'll file for divorce in May. Would that jeopardize my status? If it does, well, it does... I'm not going to die because of it; I would just like to be ready and prepare my next steps to move on with my life.

Hi Mermaid, thank you for responding... but I don't understand Could you explain that with more details? Wasn't it already adjudicated if I got my passport stamped while I receive the new card?

Thanks again...

So sorry to know this... but at least you didn't take the BIG STEP while she lied to you... Best of luck......

In my case, I filed for the removal before the divorce takes place (in MD divorces can only be filed 12 months after separation, and I filed for removal 5 months after I left my husband). Now, I got my biometrics done and my passport was stamped with a 1 year provisional "GC" since I received no letter.

We'll file for divorce in May. Would that jeopardize my status? If it does, well, it does... I'm not going to die because of it; I would just like to be ready and prepare my next steps to move on with my life.